


Going out

by Daughter_of_Scotland



Series: Rain's [8]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Awkwardness, Cuddling, Fluff, M/M, cuteness, friend-jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-29 02:15:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8471686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daughter_of_Scotland/pseuds/Daughter_of_Scotland
Summary: After Caitlin and Cisco's disastrous entrance, Barry and Len take a step forward.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Well. This is not completely what I wanted to put in this story, but I thought... let them have some fluff ;)
> 
> Thanks to Jess and Lis, even though I ended up going a bit off-script after all :D

Barry managed to placate the crowd without Elaine getting involved. Len was impressed, but not overly surprised. Barry was the best Dom he’d ever met, after all, and he knew the people at the club. They always reacted well to him.

 

About an hour later, Barry took Len’s hand and pulled him out of the club, a tired smile on his face.

 

“Uhm… Where are we going?” Len asked, confused and a bit uncomfortable. They never went outside the club together. 

 

Barry dropped Len’s hand and turned to face him, rubbing the back of his neck - a nervous gesture. Len started to really worry now. It was as if the self-assured Dom just vanished as soon as they left the club.

 

“I… This whole thing with Cisco and Caitlin sucked,” Barry said. “I just… I want us to get into bed and just… Cuddle.” He took a deep breath. “But not at the club. Not in a room that doesn’t belong to us. I want to order pizza, and see what kind of movies you like, and, and make you breakfast tomorrow. Though, fair warning, it won’t be very good. But, uh…”

 

Len felt a smile spread over his face while he listened to Barry ramble on.

 

“I want to take you to my apartment,” Barry finally managed to get out, face crimson, and looking somewhere over Len’s shoulder.

 

“I didn’t even know you had one,” was Len’s first thought and Barry went redder still.

 

“It’s… A fairly new development,” he admitted.

 

Len’s smile widened. “Did you get it just because of me? Of us?”

 

Barry’s eyes finally met his and there was a shy smile on his lips. “Well… I was always hoping we’d leave the club one day.”

 

Len couldn’t control his next action, even if he’d wanted to. He pulled Barry close and kissed him fiercely, pushing his tongue past warm lips, to be met with a very enthusiastic response.

 

“I gather that’s a yes on my plan?” Barry panted a few minutes later, still hugging Len close.

 

Len smirked. “Flash us away, Scarlet”, was his immediate answer.

 

***

 

The apartment was bigger than his old one. Barry had used the money from Wells’ -  _ Eobard’s  _ \- estate to not only make sure STAR Labs stayed open, but also invested in real estate. The apartment was actually his, not a rental. It had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big living room with open kitchen, and access to the roof through a door right across from his. Easy way to enter and leave as The Flash. One of the bedrooms had been turned into a study/workout room Cisco, Joe, and Laurel had put together for him. They were all of the opinion that Barry needed more training than just running and he agreed with them.

 

Barry waited nervously while Len inspected the apartment. “So, what do you think?” he blurted eventually.

 

Len walked back from where he’d looked at the kitchen and smiled. “It’s very nice,” he assured Barry and lifted a hand to stroke Barry’s face. “I’d rob it.”

 

Barry laughed, startled but genuinely amused, watching the proud grin on Len’s face with fondness. “A ringing endorsement from a world-class thief,” he teased. “Thank you.”

 

He reached for Len’s other hand and tangled their fingers together. “So you can imagine staying the night?” he asked.

 

Len nodded. “Yeah, definitely. Don’t have my pajamas thought,” he teased. 

 

Barry rolled his eyes. “I’m sure you’ll survive without them. I have a spare toothbrush for you in the bathroom cabinet.”

 

Len’s smile widened. “Yeah? Prepared, are you?”

 

“Always,” Barry replied and tugged him closer. Their lips met in a kiss slower and more sensual than the one in front of the club. 

 

“Let’s go to bed?” Barry asked quietly. “Just… Let’s order that pizza and cuddle, like I said before?”

 

Len nodded. “Sounds amazing,” he said and let Barry lead the way.

 

***

 

They were lying in bed, legs tangled together, the last pieces of pizza in their hands, when Len sighed and looked at Barry.

 

“I think we should talk about it,” he said, his voice only slightly wavering. “About… Ramon and Snow knowing. And you meeting Mick and my sister. Officially.”

 

Barry swallowed and cleaned his hands on a napkin before he nodded. “Yes,” he agreed. “We probably should.”

 

He moved the pizza boxes to the ground and pulled on Len’s arms until they were snuggled closely together. 

 

“I’m furious with them,” Barry said quietly. “They invaded my privacy, our safe haven, and the things they said… Especially Cisco. I didn’t… Expect him to react like that.”

 

“I don’t think he would, normally,” Len pointed out. “But he doesn’t like me. He probably didn’t think too much about what he said.”

 

“But that’s  _ not okay _ !” Barry exclaimed. “He has no right to treat you like that! Yes, you have your flaws, and you made mistakes, but you’ve steadily been working on bettering yourself. You help us out now. And while he doesn’t need to choose you as your best friend, the things he said were just… Rude. And horrible.”

 

Len felt warmth rising in his chest as Barry defended him so eagerly. “You’re too forgiving,” he told him, kissing his cheek. “One of the things I love about you.”

 

The blush that grazed Barry’s cheeks was certainly another.

 

“I love you, too,” Barry said, smiling a bit. “But still. What they did was not okay, and I will talk to them about it. I will also tell them that we’re together. Officially.”

 

Len could feel that Barry was tense about this. They still hadn’t declared themselves as anything outside of the club - though just being in Barry’s apartment like this was a declaration in itself.

 

“You do that,” he assured Barry and felt him relax. “I’ll tell Lisa and Mick the same. Though…” He grinned as a thought came to him. “They know you’re The Flash. That’s a whole other line of teasing coming your way.”

 

Barry groaned. “Oh god, I can already hear it. The Flash, superhero by day, Dom by night… If that gets out, I might have to leave the country. People might give me a new name.”

 

“I don’t know, The Flash already has some pretty interesting connotations,” Len said and laughed as Barry flared crimson and hit his shoulder in retaliation.

 

“You’re horrible,” Barry huffed. “It’s better than The Streak.”

 

“Marginally,” Len allowed but then turned serious again. “What about West and Iris?”

 

Barry frowned. “I’ll… I will tell them,” he said slowly. “But not immediately. I want to talk to Caitlin and Cisco first, and Lisa and Mick. Iris and Joe are a whole different can of worms.” He kissed Len’s temple. “I’ll tell them though. You’re not my dirty little secret.”

 

“You’re not telling them about the club though, right?” Len asked, a little bit worried.

 

“No,” Barry denied. “I’ll tell them we’re together, not how it happened. That’s none of their business. I wouldn’t have told Cisco or Caitlin either, if they hadn’t poked their noses in.”

 

“Lisa and Mick know,” Len replied. “They know about my interests, and they saw my rope marks. They actually worried I’d gotten back into with a bad Dom. But I made sure to convince them you’re anything but.”

 

“Glad to hear it,” Barry said with a smile. Then he moved around a bit and gave Len a deep kiss. “Enough serious talk. Cuddling now.”

 

Len laughed. “Yes, sir.”

 

***

 

Barry ran a hand through his hair but stopped when he saw Len smirking.

 

“What?” he asked defensively.

 

“You have a tell,” Len pointed out. “You do that when you’re nervous.”

 

Barry rolled his eyes. “And why shouldn’t I be nervous? We’re at the apartment you share with Lisa and Mick, ready to do  _ brunch  _ with them - that Mick made, by the way - to introduce me as your Dom!”

 

Len shook his head and kissed him softly. “You also ramble,” he whispered. “And we’re not just here to introduce you as my Dom, but as my boyfriend.”

 

Barry felt a grin splitting his face and he tangled their hands together. “Oh. That’s alright then.”

 

Len snorted and unlocked the door. “So easy,” he teased as he pushed the door open.

 

“‘m not,” Barry grumbled under his breath but fell silent as they entered.

 

“We’re here,” Len called into the apartment, taking Barry’s jacket and hanging it and his own into the closet. “Shoes off,” he told Barry sternly.

 

Barry had to smother a laugh. Seeing Len like this was so different from their usual interactions, it was painfully endearing. “Yes, sir,” he replied teasingly and enjoyed watching Len blush and almost fumble with his own shoes.

 

“About time,” came Lisa’s voice from further into the apartment. “I thought you’d - what is he doing here?”

 

Barry looked up and met her confused eyes with his own. Suddenly he was nervous again. “Uhm… Hey,” he said and waved awkwardly. 

 

“What’s up?” Mick asked as he stepped out into the hallway, too, and stopped immediately to stare at Barry. “Change of plans? Has there been an emergency?”

 

Barry blinked and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he felt Len’s hand in his again.

  
“No emergency,” Len said smoothly, and Barry wondered how he could be so calm. Then his thumb landed on Len’s pulse and noticed how fast it was going - Len wasn’t calm at all.

 

“We’re totally on schedule.”

 

Lisa’s eyes widened and Mick let out a colorful curse before he turned back into the other room - the kitchen, going by the following noises.

 

Barry sent a worried look at Len who frowned. 

 

“Give me a second, Scarlet,” Len murmured and let go of Barry’s hand to follow after his friend. 

 

Barry was left standing awkwardly in the hall, across from Lisa who was now covering her mouth with her hand.

 

“So… Surprise?” he tried and was glad when she let out a snort at that.

 

“You could say that,” she said and beckoned him forwards, into the room across from the kitchen where Len and Mick were talking quietly.

 

“Sit down,” she told him as she gestured at two big couches in front of a flat screen. “The boys might need a moment, they’re dumbasses.”

 

Barry smiled at that and sat down. She immediately got down next to him. 

 

“It is a surprise though,” she said. “I wouldn’t have figured you to be into all that stuff.”

 

Barry stiffened and she immediately backtracked. 

 

“Sorry, not what I meant,” she assured him. “I’ve known about the scene for a long time; Len told me a lot. It’s just not my thing. And I know there’s no specific way to look or appear to be part of it.”

 

Barry relaxed and accepted the beer she handed him out of a cooler next to the couch. “Yeah, we just… We had some trouble a few days ago, with someone uneducated. I’m still a bit sensitive in that regard.”

 

Lisa’s eyes darkened. “Len told me about it,” she replied. “Wouldn’t tell me who it was, or many details, but a fair share of it. He also told me that we’d meet you - well, we’d meet the person that made him happy and had his heart.”

 

Barry could see the amusement rolling off her as he flushed a deep crimson. “Yeah, well, he has mine, too,” he mumbled into his bottle.

 

She seemed to have heard him just fine, as her face went softer. “I’m glad,” she said and opened her own bottle. “And… I’m actually really happy it’s you, Barry.”

 

He looked at her in surprise.

 

She smiled. “I know you won’t use him, or hurt him on purpose,” she said earnestly. “You’re a good man, Barry Allen. Not because of your powers, but because your first thought was to use them to save other people. It never crosses your mind to use them for your own good. That says a lot about you.”

 

Barry swallowed and his eyes stung. After the many times he’d thought about changing the past just to save his mother, these words felt like balm on his soul. 

 

Lisa smiled and leaned over to hug him. “Though if you  _ do  _ hurt him, other than in the bedroom, I’m going to gold you,” she whispered in his ear and that actually made him laugh.

 

It was while he was laughing that Len and Mick came into the living room. 

 

Len looked at the two of them, still close and half embracing, and lifted an eyebrow. Mick just rolled his eyes.

 

“Food’s ready,” he announced. “Come into the kitchen.”

 

Barry and Lisa obediently got up and followed him, Barry giving Len a quick kiss on the cheek on the way.

 

This day didn’t seem too bad after all.

 

***

 

Len’s eyes flit to Mick again and again during their meal. Lisa seemed to have taken it well enough, she and Barry were joking around and she had actually been hugging him.

Mick though…

 

Len sighed inwardly. Mick was pissed that Len hadn’t told him the truth. He’d already been angry that Len hadn’t told him who The Flash really was, back when that deal first started. Now to find out that Len had kept another secret concerning Barry from him? Yeah, he wasn’t happy.

 

_ “You could have said somethin’,” Mick grunted as he poured the eggs into the pan, making them sizzle. “I like the kid well enough.” _

 

_ “It wasn’t just my secret to tell,” Len replied, leaning against the fridge to watch him. “You  _ know  _ that.” _

 

_ Mick was silent for a moment as he worked on his omelette. “Yeah, I know,” he finally agreed. “But we’ve been working with that team of his for months. I came with you because you said it was a the right thing to do. You’re the boss and I admit it’s not so bad, going straight. The other’s seem to like it, too, or at least more than they like to commit crimes. It’s just…”  _

 

_ Len waited for him to continue, while Mick was obviously going through all his thoughts on the matter. _

 

_ “I feel like he’s taking up an even bigger part of your life now,” Mick finally said, not meeting Len’s eyes. “Makes me sound like a little girl but there it is.” _

 

_ Len blinked. “You’re… Jealous of him?” he asked incredulously. “Are you kidding me?” Of all the things Mick might have said, this hadn’t made the list in Len’s mind. _

 

_ “Shut up, and what if I am?” Mick snapped out. “You an’ me, we’ve been partners for decades. First he turns you straight - and don’t you dare making a pun right now! -, now you’re in a relationship with the kid, too? And he’s… He’s giving you the one thing you need but can never get from me.” _

 

_ Len was stunned. He knew the bond he shared with Mick was something not everyone understood. Mick didn’t care much about gender, nor sex, but he and Len had never been an option as a relationship either way. They were best friends,  _ partners _ , they shared a life for almost as long as they’d been alive. Mick had tried to get into the scene, just to share that with Len, too, a few years ago, but had to admit that it was just not for him. It had never been an issue. _

_ Now he was deeply concerned that Barry could be his Dom and fulfill that need for Len. Almost as if… _

 

_ “He’s not taking me away from you,” Len said, his voice not wavering in the slightest. “You’re my partner. I trust you to have my back, as I will have yours. Always. Nothing’s gonna change that. Not even my relationship with Barry.” _

 

_ Mick turned and studied him. Finally he gave a decisive nod. “Alright,” he said. “I believe you. And I know the kid’s good, and he makes you happy, so I’m okay with him. But if he hurts you, or you get hurt in the field because of him, I’m going to burn him to a crisp.” _

 

_ Len laughed and squeezed Mick’s shoulder for a second. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.” _

 

Len returned to the present and found Mick’s eyes holding his. 

 

“I decided,” Mick said, taking a bite of his toast with bacon. “I’m gonna find my own place.”

 

Len’s eyebrow shot up. “What? You said you wouldn’t leave me on my own for fear of me starving to death.”

 

“Well, with the way the kid’s eating, I’m sure you’re not in danger there anymore,” Mick replied dryly and Barry laughed, shaking his head.

 

“I’m moving out, too,” Lisa announced. “Already found a place, actually, just didn’t know if I should take it. But I think this is a good time.” She grinned at Len. “No sister wants to hear her brother having kinky sex after all.

 

“You do know that Barry’s not moving in here, right?” Len asked dryly.

 

“And why not?” Mick asked. “You two are clearly serious about each other. No better way to get your relationship kicking off completely.”

 

Len and Barry shared a look.

 

“I actually just moved into my own place,” Barry said. “I’m… Kind of enjoying living alone right now. And as much as I love Len,” - they shared a smile, making Lisa coo quietly - “I think we’re still too new to move in together. We just took out relationship out into the open after all.”

 

Mick grunted and emptied his beer. “Well, if you say so,” he replied dubiously. “‘m still moving out. You can both learn to be alone for a bit, and realize that you both hate it. You’ll be living together before the year’s out.”

 

Barry squinted. “Is that a challenge?”

 

“What, scared to prove me right, Flash?” Mick asked with a smirk.

 

Len watched as Barry returned the smirk and leaned forward in his seat. “Oh, you’re  _ on _ , Heatwave.”

  
As his boyfriend and best friend challenged each other, and his sister squeezed his hand with a small smile, Len realized that his life had never been better.

**Author's Note:**

> One more, folks.  
> Hang on tight :)  
> I'll TRY to be done before the year's out. No promises though, my muse is fickle.
> 
>  
> 
> Comments are love <3


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